<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2802" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY id=role_body style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #000000; = FONT-FAMILY: Arial" bottomMargin=7 bgColor=#ffffff leftMargin=7 topMargin=7 = rightMargin=7> <DIV> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><FONT id=role_document face=Arial = color=#000000 size=2><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Verdana = color=#000000 size=2>Hi All,</DIV> <DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px = solid"> <DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana'"> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>This Monday I will replace all of the hammer <SPAN = class=correction id="">return</SPAN> spring slings on an older Yamaha <SPAN = class=correction id="">U3</SPAN>.  Yamaha graciously provided the cord material.  Someone advised removing all of the = dampers and leaving the hammers on for the operation.  However, looks to me = like it would be rather tricky to get the glue and the right length of cord = in the right place in the hammer flange slots with the hammers still on the = rail.  My current plan is to leave the dampers, but remove all = of the hammers so they may be handled individually.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Anybody out there worked through this to their = satisfaction?  Got a solvent that works better than alcohol for loosening up the old glue?  For installing the new cords, have you used CA, hide = glue, what-have-you?  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Any and all input is welcome, all the <SPAN class=correction = id="">more so</SPAN> if it is before Monday morning.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Have a good weekend,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Alan <SPAN class=correction id="">Eder, RPT</SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=correction><FONT face=Arial>    </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=correction><FONT = face=Arial>Alan,</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=correction><FONT face=Arial>    = This description from our friend Jon Page in </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=correction><FONT face=Arial>    = much more detail than my post from the archives of some years back.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=correction><FONT face=Arial>    = Jon has chosen to omitt the use of acetone as a glue solvent in his step 9 = but I find the acetone to virtually allow you to wipe the old cords from = the slots  and have seen no deleterious effects on the flange bushings. JMHO.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=correction><FONT face=Arial>    = Tom Driscoll</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=correction><FONT face=Arial>    </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=correction><FONT face=Arial>    <DIV align=center><FONT size=4><B>Yamaha Hammer Spring Cord = Repair <BR></FONT></DIV>Problem: <BR></B>  Hammer return spring cords = have become fragile and are breaking. <BR><BR><B>Symptoms:</B> <BR>  = Cords have turned a brownish color. <BR>  Random breakage is = occuring. <BR>  Touchweight is affected on some notes where the spring is = contacting the damper lever. <BR>  Hammer sometimes falls = audibly into strings on slow release before being pulled back by bridle tape. <BR><BR><B>Solutions: <BR></B>  Replace hammer flanges = <BR>  Replace cords <BR><BR><B>Condition of action: <BR></B>  If = condition of the hammers, pinning, and travelling/mating to strings is all good, = replace cords. <BR>  If pinning is poor then flange replacement may be = a better option. <BR>  Beware of earlier type action without butt plates = - the following method would not work in this case.<BR><BR><B>Cord = Replacement Procedure:</B> <BR>  1.    Place action in = cradle; remove hammer rest rail and treble bracket. <BR>  = 2.    Reverse action so that hammers and dampers are facing you. = <BR>  3.    Loosen hammer butt plate screws. <BR>  4.    Remove hammer assemblies from flanges and let = hang from bridle wires; keep them in order to avoid tangling. <BR>  5.    Straighten any bent return springs. <BR>  6.    Tighten all wippen flange screws. <BR>  7.    Tilt action toward you 90° so that the hammer = flange cord slots face upward. <BR>  8.    Tighten = remaining flange screws.<BR>  9.    Using specially = adapted shimming chisel or other suitable tool, clean slots (no solvent) and = vacuum up debris. <BR>10.    Wrap 90+ turns on dowel with = new cord and cut turns with a razor. <BR>11.    Glue one end = of each piece to one slot on each flange. <BR>12.    Return = to first flange and glue the other ends to remaining slots; check with gauge. = <BR>13.    Lubricate damper spring slots. <BR>14.    Replace hammers; tighten butt plate = screws; hook springs under flange cords as you go. <BR>15.    = Replace hammer rest rail bracket and reinstall rest rail. = <BR>16.    Final check: jack springs engaged with jacks, spring cords in crook = of hammer return springs, bridal tapes not twisted. = <BR><BR><BR><B>Tools and Materials: <BR></B>  __flange, thin-bladed, and Phillips = screwdrivers <BR>  __spray lube and spring hook (for damper springs) = <BR>  __shimming chisel modified to clean flange slots, or other suitable tool<BR>  __glue applicator (syringe) filled with Tightbond = & damp rag <BR>  __action cradle <BR>  __replacement cord, e.g., = braided Dacron of suitable diameter (kite string, parachute cord) or silk = cord (Pianotek)<BR>  __9/16" dowel [turned down from 5/8" dowel] or = suitable width piece of cardboard<BR>  __blunted scriber (or use small screwdriver, to help place cords in slots)<BR>  __gauge (dowel, = sized to fit intact flange cord, with end rounded off, to check loop size) = <BR>  __razor <BR>  __forceps <BR><BR>Many different types = of cord will work. White braided Dacron looks the best and will last = forever. Joe Goss suggests Spider Wire which I've bought but haven't tried yet. = It's a similar color to the stuff you're replacing so that tends to go = against using it. I used to use squidding line but the kind you'll likely = find in fishing supply places is waterproofed and wouldn't take well to = Tightbond. Probably the easiest (and possibly cheapest) is to order the silk = action cord from Pianotek ($3.95 for a 30-yard roll).<BR><BR>Cleaning out = the slots is not critical and you could even give the flanges a quickie scrub = and vacuum treatment and commence with step 10. <BR><BR>This method is = taken from Tom Driscoll who posted it to the list in May, 2002 (Yamaha = Upright Hammer Flanges). </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=correction><FONT face=Arial>    </FONT></SPAN></DIV></DIV></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></BODY></HTML>